Why employers’ assumptions about the over-50s are wrong

financial times | jane bird | 6 april 2016

PA’s Lesley Uren, a talent management expert, is quoted in an article about age in the workplace, in the Financial Times Connected Business report.

The article looks at older employees in the workplace and the challenges they can sometimes face when it comes to online applications and technology. The article also explains that employers need to move away from the stereotypical idea that people are unwilling to learn or less technologically-savvy after a certain age.

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While older people may work in different ways to the younger generation, Lesley believes that they are often better at important skills such as listening and empathising.

Lesley says: “As communication becomes more virtual, we need to be much more aware of our impact on others.”

Older people must stop fearing technology, says Lesley: “Rather than clutch at the idea that use of social media might be declining, they should get on top of such technologies because they are here to stay.”